On November 26, 2007, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed February 20 to be marked for the yearly celebration of social justice. Social justice for all, centers on a global mission to advance societal development and human dignity.
What Is Social Justice?
Social justice is transacting fairness in its most visible form. This covers equity in all sectors of life, from employment, housing, and healthcare to human rights and more.
The Four Principles of Social Justice
There are four main guiding principles to attain social justice. It includes equity, human rights, resource access, and opportunities and platforms for participation. These pillars work towards reinstating the worth and economic viability of employment and equality in how society provides for basic human needs.
The origin of the term social justice is broad and nebulous, given that it is a concept with a defined meaning constrained by tradition. However, if we were to look at it from the modern era onwards, social justice as a concept arose in the early 19th century. During the Industrial Revolution and the succeeding democratic movements in Europe when creating more egalitarian societies and ending capitalist exploitation of human labor was the pressing agenda. Early social justice advocates concentrated primarily on wealth, land, and money distribution due to the pronounced stratifications between rich and poor at the time. With the end of the Industrial Revolution, the term expanded from being associated with capitalism alone. Today, it has a very wide range of applications and is used in all facets of life. Viewed in light of various social causes including ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, environment, and other causes and expressions of injustice.
Social justice was and continues to be a global concern. The Covid-19 outbreak made matters worse by sparking a recession, leading to businesses closing down and leaving millions of people without work. Issues like food instability, poverty, wars, and climate change calamities are becoming more crucial drivers. The severity of social injustice may vary from country to country, but comparable problems plague most communities. Here are a few examples of social injustices:
- Racial Discrimination
- Gender Inequality
- Gun Violence
- Discrimination against a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression
Celebrating World Social Justice Day in a Meaningful Way
The theme of this year's World Social Justice Day by the United Nations is, " Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social Justice." The goal aims to improve societies by overcoming the obstacles that discriminate against individuals based on their race, ethnicity, religion, culture, gender, age, or disability. We can all do our part to meaningfully support the agenda. Here are ways you can voice for social justice in commemoration of World Social Justice Day!
- Research social justice movements and topics.
- Take part in debates and awareness campaigns in your neighborhood.
- Participate in peaceful marches, demonstrations, or rallies.
- Engage in non-profit groups and organizations that stand for good causes.
- Make effective use of social media's influence such as sending emails, tweeting to politicians, or raising issues with the policymakers that you believe can be changed.
- Volunteer your time and effort to help people in need.
- Donate to trustworthy causes and organizations.
- Learn about the cultures, languages, heritage, etc., of other communities.
- Meanwhile, keep working on yourself for growth and improvement.
